Happy Monday, everyone! I promise to do my best and have a post for you every Monday morning to help reduce Monday morning misery. And stay tuned for a few franchises coming up this week entitled "Whaaa" Wednesdays and "If I Were President" (IIWP) Fridays!
Here it is girls, happy Monday ;)
My justification...I just haven't found my "go-to" beauty products. Let me rephrase that...I just haven't found those "go-to" products that allow me to look my husband in the eye and tell him the full price (plus tax) of my recent beauty product purchases.
BUT, I can say that I am one step closer to committing to a product line.
Let's backtrack....
While preparing for my wedding back in July I visited Lifebooker.com (in addition to my blog, this should also be bookmarked for any beauty buff recessionistas- sorry, only avail in LA and NYC).
From the robust roster of aestheticians and spas, I narrowed my search down to Rose Alcido's The Beauty Nook. The reviews were solid and the prices with the Lifebooker.com discount were, dare I say...justifiable?
So on a Friday night in early spring, I hoofed it over to her salon. I arrived early so figured I would just relax in the waiting room. I signed in at the lobby and eagerly took the elevator up to floor 10.
Expecting to be greeted by relaxation and bliss, I was alarmed to find that I had entered...the twilight zone. This was not what I had expected. I immediately felt that I had taken the elevator back to high school. The long halls were spotted with identical brown, metal doors resembling closed classroom- I easily envisioned that there were actual classes being held at that very moment.
With a sudden sense of panic and confusion, I slowly mazed myself down the narrow hallways.
I eventually found suite 1005 and while gratefully realizing I was in the right place I went to open the door. It was locked. Confused, I stepped back, reread the sign, checked that I had the right day and time, and even considered that maybe the spa was closed and planning to open up on my behalf for my 7p appointment.
After about 5 minutes of knocking and a colorful internal monologue (how dare I get stood up by an aesthetician?!), I was finally greeted by Rose.
Rose graciously welcomed me in (and then of course I felt guilty for cursing her). Her "nook" was exactly that; a small, cozy office with a side room where she performed her services. She handed me a questionnaire and returned to finish up with another client.
After scribbling down my list of beauty products and denying to have used Retin-A within the last 4 weeks (I still had a smuggled stash that seemed to do the trick even though it was years beyond its expiration date!), I came across a question that I had never seen on a spa questionnaire. I forget the exact phrasing, but it asked what my family's heritage was.
Interesting. I was confused by the question and wondered whether I had read it wrong. After re-reading, I wrote "Irish" timidly and added "born in US". Little did I know that this seemingly irrelevant tidbit would be the key to unlocking an essential beauty secret!
While willingly surrendering myself to Rose and the "Glowing Me" facial, I casually answered a few questions she had about my skin regimen. When she asked about my moisturizer I admitted to using quite a few- Olay, Philosophy, Aveeno... but then I added casually that I never feel that my skin is actually moisturized. No matter how much moisturizer I used, it always seemed oily and dry at the same time.
"Kate, you have to use a serum"- as if she wanted to add "duh" at the end of the statement, Rose opened my eyes up to an entirely new medium of facial moisturization. Apparently my Irish skin didn't absorb heavy cream moisturizers and they would just sit on the surface making my skin greasy but never moisturized. Over time, this is probably what had contributed to clogged pores and break outs.
After the facial I agreed to pay (gasp) $120 for her "I'll Never Tell" Serum (and for those of you who know my husband, you'll never tell him how much it actually cost!). It was an obscene amount of money to spend on what could not have been more than 1oz of product but I could already feel the results after she had used it during the facial.
It lasted me about 4 weeks- max. But I was hooked and had to get my serum fix. I considered buying another vile of the good stuff, but despite my addiction, my better judgement took hold and I felt it best not to test the stability of my marriage this early on in the game by spending way more than was reasonable.
Weeks, months went by and I noticed my skin was again becoming dull- as if there was a layer of residue that my moisturizers just couldn't get through no matter how often I exfoliated, cleansed, repeated.
But one night in November, I was biding my time before a girls' dinner and found myself in a Sephora. While looking through the overwhelming amount of make up options, I remembered that they had a rather large selection of skincare brands.
I found a representative and asked her if she might have any serums. At which point she asked if I could tell her the ingredients- optimistic that I might be getting closer, I listed off ascorbic acid first and she immediately cut me off and said that it would definitely not be in her area as her area was "only natural and...". I cut her off at that point and ran to the other side of the store where they had unnatural- but really great- products!
After squirting several samples I finally found one that had the same consistency as my original serum. It was Kate Somerville's Total Vitamin Antioxident Complex Serum.
$65 bucks. SOLD! I realize that $65 isn't necessarily what one would call "cheap", but when comparing to the original, it looked like a good deal to me!
Within a week I felt the ruddiness on my forehead disappear and my skin stayed moisturized throughout the day!
It is a great option if you have trouble with thicker moisturizers. The serum seems to cut through residues on your skin and seeps in to really moisturize and replenish. I imagine that the more fluid-like consistency is what makes this product so efficient. Per "Kate's" directions, it is recommended you use this serum under another daily moisturizer. Currently I alternate between a few but I do plan on testing out one of her moisturizers. In fact, I have Kate Somervilles "Let It Glow" Kit on my Christmas list!
If Santa deems me deserving, I will certainly let you know about all of the products in the gift set. Girls, I think we have a winner!
Tell me about the skin moisturizers you love and vote on what works best for you!
**For the record, despite my name and my product junkie prowess, I am not Kate Somerville.
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